Floral gift photograph and sympathy card folder



Aug. 16, 1960 s. c. MEISSNER 2,948,977

FLORAL GIFT PHOTOGRAPH AND SYMPATHY CARD FOLDER Filed 001;. l, 1954 FIG.I

H63 SCOTT c. EISSNER BY zz j Q W ATTORNEYS FLORAL GIFT PHOTOGRAPHSYMPATHY CARD FOLDER Scott C. Meissner, Cardington, Ohio PhotoAcknowledgement Service, Inc., Film Bldg, 2108 Payne Ave., Cleveland 14,Ohio) Filed 'Oct. 1, 19 54, Ser. No. 459,589

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-158) The invention relates to novel means for informingthe bereaved family of a deceased person of the nature of each floralgift displayed at the funeral service, in association with the identityof the particular donor, for an indefinite period after the service.Conventional practice has been for the mortician or some other personassigned to the task to remove the sympathy cards attached to the floralgifts before the conclusion of the funeral service, and thereafter todeliver the collected cards to the bereaved family. Several days afterthe funeral service, the family sends out acknowledgments of the floralgifts by referring to the cards.

When the acknowledgments are sent out there is no way of identifying thefloral gift which was sent with each card, and the emotional conditionof the family members at the time of the service substantially precludesassociation by them of the donors with the floral gifts, so that theyhave little or no recollecion of such association by the timeacknowledgments are sent out. This is a serious disadvantage because notonly does the bereaved family wish to thank the donors by referring tothe nature and appearance of the floral gift, but the donor wishes to beinformed regarding the appearance of his gift because, usually, there isno opportunity for him to locate and observe his particular floral giftin company with many others on display at the chapel or place of thefuneral service.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a noveldevice for making a permanent record of the exact nature and appearanceof each floral gift received, in association with the identity of thedonor of said gift, so that the bereaved family may refer to said deviceat any time after the funeral service to obtain complete informationregarding the floral gift of each donor.

Another object is to provide a novel device for keeping a pictorialrecord of each floral gift in association with the identity of itsdonor.

These and other related objects are accomplished by the novel floralgift and associated sympathy card folder comprising the presentinvention, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated and describedherein by way of example. Various modifications and changes in de tailsof construction are to be comprehended within the scope of the inventionas defined in the appended claim.

By means of the invention, each floral arrangement is photographed whenreceived at the funeral home before being placed on display, and thephotograph in association with the donors sympathy card is presented tothe bereaved family at any desired subsequent time.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the folder of theinvention is formed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale, showing the folder insubstantially closed position.

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged perspective view showing the folder in openposition displaying a photographic atent ire transparency of the floralgift and the donors sympathy card associated therewith.

The novel folder is constructed of high grade paper having a pleasingand dignified appearance with substantial body, while allowing foldingwithout buckling or crinkling. As shown in Fig. l, a rectangular blank10 of a single thickness of the paper is cut into rectangular form andis divided into four equal panels by the fold lines 11 and 12 at rightangles to each other. These panels comprise adjoining upper and lowerpanels 13 and 14 and upper and lower panels 15 and 16.

Upper and lower panels 15 and 16 have rectangular window openings 17 and18, respectively, formed therein at locations so that when the blank isfolded on itself along fold line 11, the openings 17 and 18 registerwith each other. A photographic color transparency 20 of a floral giftis secured over the opening 17, preferably on the inside of back panel15 adjacent to front panel 16 when the folder is in the partly foldedposition of Fig. 3. The transparency may be secured over the opening 17by means of adhesive tape or in any suitable manner, and preferably theopening 17 is slightly smaller in area than the transparency tofacilitate attaching the latter.

The panel 14 has mounted thereon, by a staple 27. or other suitablemeans, the sympathy card 21 of the donor of the floral gift pictured inthe transparency 20. Any or all of the panels 13, 14 and 16 may beembellished with suitable decorations. Adjacent to the window opening18, the panel 16 is preferably imprinted with the words Please Hold ToLigh so that the color transparency can be viewed through theregistering openings 17 and 18.

In using the novel folder, each floral gift delivered to the morticianis photographed before being placed on display in the funeral chapel,and the film is marked with a reference number or character which willshow in the photograph transparency produced therefrom. At the sametime, the donors sympathy card attached to the gift is marked with thesame reference number so that the correct donor is always associatedwith his particular gift. After the transparency is developed it ismounted over the window opening =17, as previously described, and thedonors sympathy card bearing the same reference number is attached toinside panel 14. Preferably, the folder is then folded again along line12 to the position of Fig. 2, to enclose and protect the sympathy cardand the transparency.

At a suitable time, subsequent to the funeral service, the folderscontaining the sympathy cards and photographic reproductions of all ofthe gifts received are presented by the mortician to the bereavedfamily, so that they can view the representation of each gift andassociate it with the expression of sympathy of its donor, at a timewhen their minds are composed and they are able fully to appreciate thedonors gift and expression.

In acknowledging the various gifts, the family is thus enabled to referdescriptively to each floral arrangement, thereby conveying their thanksin a more sincere and personal manner. If desired, the family may retainthe folders in visual remembrance of the gifts, or may send to suchdonors who were unable to attend the service, the folders containing thephotographic reproductions of their respective gifts.

Moreover, the use of the novel folders in the foregoing manner by themortician insures the floral donor that his gift as an expression of hissympathy will be fully appreciated by members of the bereaved family.

What is claimed is:

A folder containing a reproduction of a floral gift in association withthe identification of the donor, comprising adjoining front panels andadjoining back panels underlying said front panels, said adjoining frontand back panels having fold lines therebetween, one of said front panelsand its underlying back panel having registering Window openingstherein, a photographic transparency of a floral gift mounted over thewindow opening of the back panel, and a card bearing the name of thedonor of said gift detachably mounted on the other of said front panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ByckFeb. 19, 1946

